Bag structure



0d. 20, 1936. SMITH 2,057,748

BAG STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 24, 1935 26 5' l7 .az. Fi .5

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Get. 20, 1936 STATES PATENT orrlca BAG STRUCTUR E Faith '1. Smith, Los Anseles, Calif.

Application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 55,974

Claims. (Cl. 1 50-1) This invention relates to a bag structure furnished with means insertable therewithin to hold it an an extended condition. The invention pertains both to the structure of the bag per se and 5 the means for holding it in the extended condition.

Among a great variety of uses to which the invention may be applied may be mentioned, a sanitary container which may be' made practically dust and air tight and which may readily be cleansed and sterilized as often as thought necessary; a container particularly well adapted for use in protecting and storing foods; a very handy portable container furnished with means to hold it in an extended condition during use but which may be collapsed into a small space at other times; and as a superior sanitary container for use in hospitals and like institutions.

One object of the invention ,is to provide, in a bag structure, improved means to adapt the bag for maintaining itself in an upright position, whether or not it contains any substanceor article contributing to this result. In this connection it may be mentioned that the structure of the J sheet material of which the bag per se is composed is such as to aid in furnishing the bag with a flat bottom which contributes to maintaining the bag in an upright position. v A further object is to provide an improved 3omethod-of joining the bottom piece of the bag to its body portion. Y

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which 35 illustrates what is at present deemed to be a pre ferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete device, which is shown as being made of a sheet material which issufliciently transparent to: permit the 40 structure therewithin to be visible through theside wall thereoi', parts thereof being sectioned at the mid-width of the device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device, in part section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental side elevational view of one lower corner of the device showing same as assembled and stitched.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental section taken on line 66 of Fig.1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the fabric 55 portion of the bag may be made up in a variety Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of of different ways, so far as the seams and number of pieces used are concerned, without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention. In the drawing the bag structure includes a sack having two main side pieces 5 which may be identical 5 in shape, and said pieces are united to each other at opposite edges by seams 6, the bottom portion of the .bag being formed by a bottom piece 1 of sheet material.

Said bottom piece 1 is of an elongated rectangu- 1 lar shape and along it long edges is united to the side pieces 5 by seams 8. In the completed sack the corner portions of the bottom piece I, at each end thereof and towards the sameface thereof, are folded down in such a manner that their 15 adjacent edge portions. overlap each other to some extent, and these overlapping or abutting portions are embraced in the seams Ill at the bottom comer portions of the sack. The completed sack is thus provided with a flat bottom 2 portionand with a bevel II at each end of said bottom portion, the beveled portions converging towards the bottom of the sack.

' The mouth portion of the sack is guarded by a selvage l5 along which is shown a zipper" 5 construction i6 operable by the slidable part I! having a handle l8.

In order to aid in holding the flexible portion of the device in an extended condition a wire loop or frame is provided which is insertable through .the mouth of the sack and which is, in general, shaped as a rectangular U, said loop consisting of a straight base portion 20 and of side portions or arms 2i, said arms having converging end portions 22 which terminate in inwardly directed hooks 23. The slope of the arms 22 is substantially the same as that of the inclined-sack portions II.

An auxiliary wire frame of an elongated rectangular character is provided, said frame consisting of the side portions 25 and the end portions 26 and being shown made of a single wire which is looped to form an eye 21 at the middle of each end portion 26. Said eyes are utilized to pivotally fasten the auxiliary frame to the hook portions 23 of the main frame. By turning the arms 26 to the position shown in Fig. 2 the auxiliary wire frame is caused to hold the bottom portion of the bag structure in an extended condition wherein it is adapted to maintain itself in an upstanding position when placed upon a flat, level surface. when desired, the auxiliary wire frame may be turned on its pivots to v the position indicated in dotted lines and the bottom portion of the bag is collapsed, asalso I shown in dotted lines. When in this position it extends the bottom portion of the sack do a r-:

' wardly along its mid-width, thereby making the side portions of the sack lie flatter so that they may be superimposed in a more compact manner for storage or shipment.

I claim:

1. In a bag structure, a sack composed of flexible sheet material, a main wire loop within said sack and extending to the bottom thereof thus to expand said sack in an edgewise manner, and a substantially rigid auxiliary wire loop which at substantially its mid-width is pivotally attached to an'end portion of said main loop thereby providing for lateral as well as edgewise expansion of said sack, said auxiliary loop extending at right angles to the side walls of the sack when the latter is expanded and being swingable to extend parallel to the side walls of the sack when the latter is collapsed.

2. In a bag structure, a sack composed of flexible sheet material, a main wire loop insertable sperms 8. e subject matter of claim 2 and, the end portions of the arms of said 100;! being inclined towards each other, thereby producing beveis at the lower corners of the sack. J

a In a bag structure, the combination, with a sack body consisting of a flexible sheet material; of a substantiallly rectangular bottom piece of sheet material, said bottom piece having its corner portions flexed towards each other until a strip of their edge portions are brought into a flatwise abutting relation, said abutting edge portions being embeddedin a seam at each side of the bag whereby the end portions of said bottom piece are attached to the body portion of the bag, there being additional seams whereby the side portions-of said bottom piece are secured to the body portion of the bag.

5. As an article of manuiacture, a sack expander consisting of two pivotally connected members, each of said members being. rigid in the sense of being free iromarticulations, one of said members consisting of a wire bent into a general U-shape the central portion of which 

